Tales of the Lorekeepers 01 - Rise of the Red Dragon

exactly what the commotion was about or where it came from, every man in the tent waited and listened.
    “It’s a chant,” said Uther. “From the army camp.”
    Quickly, Ambrosius left the tent. Uther helped Malloy get up, while Myrddin tried to do the same with Samuel. Fortunately, the Lorekeeper had almost regained full control of every muscle in his body.
    Once outside, Samuel was surprised to see the sun over the mountains. It was barely above their peaks, indicating it was still early in the day. Everywhere around, the tents were being rebuilt and the furniture was being put back together. Already, soldiers were busy making the plateau at the top of Dinas Ffaraon a more habitable place.
    Samuel and his friends walked over to the southern edge, where the clamors seemed to originate. There, on a mound where Vortigern had stood a few days ago to observe his failing army, Kaleb now stood as well, watching the small group approach.
    “My king,” he said to Ambrosius, bowing his head and extending his left arm. “Your army awaits you.”
    King Ambrosius walked over to the captain, saluted him and climbed onto the mound. At the top, he looked down at thousands of men gathered together, chanting his name in unison.
    “Ambrosius! Ambrosius! Ambrosius!”
    When the crowd saw the new Briton leader stand at the top of the hill, it immediately broke into cries of joy.
    Ambrosius observed the soldiers, his heart filled with pride and triumph, grateful to see his countrymen once again proud and strong, ready to defeat an enemy who expected them to be weak and practically dead. At the front of the crowd, standing with the officers, he saw Darroch, Freston and even the wounded Atwood, their weapons high in the air, professing their loyalty to the new sovereign.
    “You deserve it, brother,” said Uther, kneeling in front of the new king of Britain. Samuel, Malloy, Kaleb and every soldier around the plateau quickly imitated him.
    “Thank you, my friends,” said Ambrosius. “I owe this all to you.”

    Later that morning, Samuel was helping Malloy built his new tent at the top of Dinas Ffaraon. The young man had been named advisor to the king by Ambrosius and was asked to move his things at the top of the hill, where a tent awaited him next to the king’s.
    “Moving up the social ladder, I see,” said the Lorekeeper.
    “Be quiet!” replied Malloy.
    “At least you get a larger tent. And it’s nicer, too.”
    “Why didn’t you accept the offer as well?”
    When the king had extended the offer to Samuel, the young man had almost accepted, but quickly remembered he could not. His duty was over, his mission accomplished. Soon he would have to return home. A week ago, the prospect of seeing his parents again was all he desired, but today he wanted to push it back a few more days. He had grown to like this world, and especially the friends he had made in it. Leaving them behind was proving more difficult than he had thought.
    He would have never believed it to be possible, but right now, he almost wished he could stay on Metverold.
    “I wish I could accept,” answered Samuel. “But I have to get back home. I have to find my family and see if any of them survived the Saxon invasion. Maybe meet a girl and start a family of my own, who knows?”
    “Still, you could do all these things and be a part of the king’s council. We could use your … unique perspective on things.”
    “As much as I appreciate your faith in my perspective, I have made up my mind, Malloy. I’m not staying.”
    “I guess there is nothing I can say to change your mind, then.”
    Samuel tied a rope against a wooden post that held part of the tent wall in place.
    “Look,” he said, “I wanted to thank you. If it hadn’t been for you, I’m not sure I could have made it past the first day in here.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    “You’re a good man, Malloy. I’m sure great things await you.”
    “Sam, you talk as if we’re never going to see each other. You will come and visit from time to time, right?”
    Samuel stepped toward his friend and extended his right hand.
    “I don’t know what the future holds for me, so I cannot promise you anything, but I really hope we do get to meet again.”
    Malloy grabbed the young man’s hand and shook it warmly.
    “You’re a good man as well, Samuel. You might be strange, but you are brave and strong. Please be careful in your travels or I will find you and teach you a lesson myself.”
    “I